Puppy Instincts
by Needing-To-Shut-Up-But-Unable
Summary: Sequel to 'Puppy Love', so you might want to read that before you read this, or it might not make complete sense. Kirk is human again but is left dealing with side effects of being a puppy, and Spock helps him out. Eventual Spirk.
1. Uhura I

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

It was very late, or extremely early, depending on how you looked at it, and the _Enterprise_ was seemingly deserted. Soft footsteps penetrated the silence, soft, and light, the complete polar opposite to their owner's thoughts, which were dark, and heavy. No matter how many times she replayed the scene in her head, Nyota Uhura could still not work it out. Two days ago Kirk had transformed back into his human form and she had confronted him in sickbay, where he was being held for observation, much to his disgust. He had looked confused when she asked what her punishment was, when she clarified it as the consequences for her actions, assaulting her superior officer for one, he had laughed at her.

'_Your boyfriend tried to strangle me, and I didn't do anything. So you threw something at me while having a mini melt down, it's no big deal, unless you do it again. If you do it again, I'm leaving you to Bones' mercy._

"_McCoy said that...,' she tried, trying not to look as if it hurt that he still considered Spock her boyfriend, she didn't know what he was anymore._

'_He over reacted at any rate, and can't actually do anything, well he can, but he won't, if I tell him not to._

She had muttered something about not putting it past the doctor and while Kirk had laughed at that comment, she had left, trying not to let the blood rushing to her head colour her face. It was two days later and she still couldn't understand why he had let her off the hook so easily. The thought that she had lost control so easily frightened her, she was just thankful that McCoy had threatened her with a reporting that would have gotten her a court-martial, in the privacy of the turbo lift. She reflected on her decision to cool things off with Spock, they weren't over, but they were no longer together either, she had called a break to their relationship. She just hoped that she would be able to sort herself out by the time it came to have round two of "the talk" with Spock. Nyota was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't realise where her feet had been taking her until a familiar voice jolted her out of her revive.

'Bit late for ya to be down 'ere lass.'

Nyota looked up to see the always cheerful face of Montgomery "Scotty" Scot, the _Enterprise's _chief engineer.

'It's not that late,' Nyota returned, not sure if she welcomed the company.

''Tis early,' he agreed, gesturing for her to enter the room he was in.

She hesitated then entered. Looking around, she realised that it was some kind of mixture between workshop, office, storage place and a dumping ground for everything broken and small enough to squeeze in.

''Scuse the mess, Ima not accustomed ta visitors from beyond.'

Nyota had heard that engineering often had their own language, but this was the first time she had ever had proof of it, which just went to show how much attention she paid at times. Spotting what appeared to be a bed tucked into the corner, Nyota was seriously beginning to think that the Scotsman never left the bowels of the ship.

Catching her gaze he gave her a wink, 'I like ta be close whenna she's havin' troubles.'

Sitting in the chair offered Nyota began to think that there was more to Scotty than met the eye, and was proven right when the contraption she thought to be broken, lying on the bench as it was, produced a rather strong tasting alcohol.

'What's on ya mind lass?'

Nyota opened her mouth before she even thought about it, 'I just can't work out why Kirk didn't get me into trouble for what I did. When I first met him I thought him to be a typical country dog that slept with anything that moved, regardless of its sentience status. At the academy I saw him as a show off, and now, now I don't know what to think.'

'Have ya eva tried to see it from his point of view? No? You're a talented communications officer, who isn't afraid to tell it like it is, who stands up for what they believe in. Someone who is dedicated to their craft, and is indispensible for what they do.'

Nyota stared at Scotty for a moment. She had never considered that Kirk would ever see her in that way. Handing Scotty her glass she thanked him and headed for bed.


	2. Kirk I

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

If there was one thing James Tiberius Kirk hated more than anything else, it was reporting to the brass when he knew he would be in trouble, even though it wasn't actually his fault. Within the hour of Bones submitting the report on what had really been going on, Pike had sent Jim a message telling him that they needed to talk right away. After procrastinating for an hour, Bones had finally kicked him out of sickbay and threatened him with a hypo if he didn't call Pike. This was one conversation that Jim wasn't looking forward to. Bracing himself for what promised to be one heck of a conversation, Kirk punched in Pike's number. Pike answered almost immediately.

'I've been waiting for the last hour,' Pike grumbled, clearly not in the best of moods.

'I was busy doing captain stuff,' Jim replied, trying not to sound like a child.

'Avoiding this conversation more like, and as funny as this joke has been, there is a line.'

Joke? What joke?

'I'm not sure what you're talking about,' Jim lied.

He had figured this would happen and had tried to put it off as a result.

'I'm talking about the report submitted that states you were turned into a dog.'

Why, of all times, did now have to be when his neck developed the mother of all itches?

Trying not to scratch, Jim replied, 'I was unaware that there was a joke in the report.'

'You cannot seriously be trying to tell me that you were a dog,' Pike was frowning now.

Between resisting the urge to scratch at his neck and concentrate on the conversation, Jim was coming up a little short on brain power to construct his argument.

'Technically I was a puppy.'

'...Will not be happy to hear about the lack of commitment...'

The itch was getting harder to ignore, and Jim was beginning to tune Pike out.

'Not to mention... Kirk, are you seriously trying to scratch your face with your foot?!'

Kirk stared at Pike for a second before realising that he was indeed attempting to scratch his itch with his foot. This realisation came with a loss of balance that sent him tumbling off his chair and onto the floor.

'Well Bones did say there might be side effects,' he commented from where he landed.

'You were really serious about the whole thing weren't you?'

Jim realised that Pike was now actually worried about him and returned to his seat, attempting to cling to what remained of his dignity.

'Well, if it was going to happen to anyone, it would have to be me.'

Pike laughed at that.

'Aye, it would be, wouldn't it? Seriously though, are you sure you're all right?'

'I've fallen from higher,' Jim deflected.

Pike frowned at him again, 'You know what I mean.'

'Bones assured me that the side effects should be gone after a few weeks at most, besides, what other crew can claim that they have a dog for a captain and get away with it?'

'Just take care of yourself, I would hate for you to urinate on the_ Enterprise's_ shuttle next time it lands, in order to mark your territory.'

'As long as the higher-ups don't rain all hell down for this, I promise not to start marking my territory.'

'Don't worry about the higher-ups; this wasn't your fault, although they won't be happy that this was kept from them, although I understand why. I have to go and try to sort this mess out, just keep doing what you do best.'

'What get into trouble?' Jim was rewarded with a mock glare, 'Thanks though, I really appreciate it.'

'I know you do,' and with that Pike broke the connection.

All in all, it had gone better than Jim was expecting, side effects and all. He knew that he wasn't due on the bridge until tomorrow, doctor's orders, so Jim decided to have lunch instead. Entering the mess hall, Jim spotted Spock sitting by himself, grabbing his meal; he headed over to where his first officer was sitting.

'Good morning,' Jim greeted.

'Captain,' Spock acknowledged.

Jim nearly sighed in frustration, 'it's Jim.'

'I trust all is well,' Spock continued, ignoring the correction.

'I spoke to Pike just now, why do you ask?'

'You have forgone your usual diet, and replaced it with a vegetarian alternative.'

Jim shrugged, 'I felt like a change, besides I'm sick of chicken.'


	3. Spock I

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Spock continued to look at Jim discreetly throughout their meal; he was still waiting for any sign of a side effect from the transformation, although what he was looking for, he was somewhat unsure of, as Dr. McCoy had been somewhat vague on the subject. Jim bid him farewell and headed off to "catch-up on paperwork", only for his seat to be taken by Nyota.

'Lieutenant,' Spock greeted.

'Spock just because we chose to cool things off for a while doesn't mean you have to go back to addressing me by my rank.'

'I was under the impression that you wished to cease all personal interactions with me.'

'Spock, I wanted time to think, time in which I reflect without your presence confusing me. It didn't mean that I wanted us to stop being friends, even if we do decide to split completely, I would still like to be friends, if you would allow it.'

Spock considered for a moment before replying, 'a friendship with you after being romantically involved would be strange,' Spock saw her face fall before he added, 'but I find the notion... pleasing.'

Nyota's face lit up again and she smiled, Spock wondered when she had last smiled like that, full of hope and joy.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before Spock asked, 'why is it that we can be civil to on another now, when the future of our relationship is in question, yet when we were together it was... undignified.'

Nyota looked surprised at his question, 'I guess because there's no obligation.'

Spock raised one eyebrow.

Nyota seemed to sigh to herself before explaining, 'before, there was this obligation to spend time together, to try and make the other happy, to compromise for one another. Now, the obligation has lessened, and I guess I was just expecting you to instantly do things in our relationship that come standard. Sometimes I forgot that you weren't just like me, you didn't grow up with a family that expected those sort of things from each other.'

Spock attempted to understand what she was trying to tell him, Nyota must have understood and explained to him further.

'Growing up, we would always put aside time for each other at least once week, dad said it was to make sure that we didn't drift apart. I felt like we weren't as close as we once were and was trying to recapture that feeling.'

'You are referring to the time I spent with the captain,' Spock said bluntly, understanding the woman in front of him for the first time in quite a while.

'Yeah, I was jealous, I didn't want to share, and you seemed to tell him things that you didn't tell me. I know that not knowing that you don't like tomatoes salted is a stupid thing to feel jealous over, but I was, I hope you can forgive me.'

'I understand, I have felt as such when you went out with your friends at the academy, I wanted to be a part of that aspect of you as well.'

She smiled at him before excusing herself, Spock watched her leave, before departing for the labs, mulling over what she had said. Much of it explained her behaviour, but he was conflicted about his actions towards her since their posting to the _Enterprise_, he had never told her that he didn't like salted tomatoes because it was irrelevant, he had only informed Kirk of this because Kirk had asked him at lunch one day why he never added salt to him tomatoes. The very fact that Kirk had noticed that he didn't have salt with his tomatoes was what he remembered most, it hadn't even occurred to him that Nyota didn't know about his dislike of salty tomatoes. He made a mental note to re-examine his memories and discover what else he had failed to mention to her, the next time he meditated. Entering the science labs, he skirted around the red shirts replacing the gas pipes, as more holes, like the one that had formed the day he left Puppy-Kirk alone in his quarters, would form over time in one section should the pipes remain. Entering the back lab, Spock pulled the various pieces of his latest experiment and continued on where he left off, trying to ignore the notion that he should have expressed his desire to resume their relationship to Nyota, while battling out the logical part of his mind telling him to just end it. He now understood why Nyota desired a break from their involvement.


	4. Uhura II

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Nyota hurried down the corridor, her emotions a mix again from the small amount of time she had just spent with Spock. She realised that it was the first time the two of them had been alone in one another's company since the night McCoy had left a rather drunk Puppy-Kirk in her and Spock's care. Damn, she needed to relax so that she could sort this through. She passed Kirk in the corridor, he smiled at her distractedly as she passed, attempting to scratch at his lower leg with his other foot, whilst balancing with several PADDs in each hand. There was something off about the movement, but she could not place what, it nagged at her but she pushed it aside for the moment.

'Captain, can I ask you something?'

'Sure,' Kirk replied, settling back onto both feet, 'shoot.'

'Even though I've been a torrential bitch to you, you're still nice to me, and I was wondering why.'

'If this is about the throwing things incident again-'

'I meant since Spock and I started fight, I treated both you and Spock like crap and yet you're both still nice to me, you treat me like...' _like a friend_, she finished silently.

Kirk was frowning minutely at her, 'you were frustrated and angry, I just figured that you were venting and didn't mean most of it at the time.'

'I don't think Spock sees it that way, I was a terrible person and he didn't deserve how I treated him.'

'Shouldn't you be telling him this?'

'If I tell him this, then he'll expect me to either resume our relationship, or end it, and I don't know what I want to do in that respect, and I can't just not do anything either, because that's just as bad. I just... I just don't know what to do.'

Kirk looked rather uncomfortable, like this was the last conversation he wanted to be having.

'Sorry, you probably aren't the person I should be talking to,' she apologised, turning to leave.

'Alcohol and Bones.'

'What?' she asked turning back.

'Alcohol and Bones, works for me,' he commented a slight pink tinge colouring his cheeks.

She smiled, thanked him and left the feeling of awkward hanging in the air between them. She understood his advice, but she would be damned if she was going to have an emotional outpouring to Kirk's best friend, that was just inviting trouble. What she needed was someone who she could talk to, someone who wouldn't try to run a pregnancy test on her so that there was a legitimate excuse for her crazy behaviour. Although she was certain that early onset menopause was a more of a reasonable explanation, as slim as it was. Reaching her quarters she took a shower, trying to still her thoughts long enough to make sense of them, it didn't help that contradictory emotions kept surfacing, distracting her further. Snapping the water off, a voice that was annoyingly Kirk's echoed in her head.

_Alcohol and Bones._

Nyota may not be game enough to confront the Enterprise's CMO, but there was something in there she could use, alcohol, and she knew just the right person to get it from. She frowned at herself in the mirror, she still had a shift to complete that afternoon, and showing up intoxicated would impress no one, not to mention it broke regulations. Chewing her lip thoughtfully, she decided that she would wait until her shift was over, then head to engineering and see if Scotty would be willing to help her out. Ordinarily she wouldn't condone this type of behaviour from herself, but hell, she had done worse in the last couple of weeks and she needed a drink. Nyota dressed and exited her quarters, hoping that her mind would calm enough to keep her mind on the job and not send her crazy. The last thing she needed right now was another breakdown, and as understanding, or quite possible in denial, as Kirk was at the moment, she doubted that he would over look a violent emotional outburst from her again. Reflecting on such a scenario, it made her sad to think that even in her own head, Spock would not defend her, but she reasoned that if Spock suddenly had a breakdown every other week, then she probably wouldn't either. Steeling herself for the afternoon ahead, Nyota headed for the bridge.


	5. Kirk II

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

It had been three days since Jim had talked to Pike, and in the following two days of that conversation, Jim had been trying to prevent himself from scratching at his ever persistent itch with his foot, like a dog would. So far, Jim had gone the whole day without scratching himself with his foot, reflexively using his hand like a normal person instead. All in all, he had justified not telling Bones about the whole falling-off-the-chair-whilst-trying-to-scratch-his-neck-with-his-foot incident, by convincing himself that it was an isolated incident. So far it wasn't working, but with no sign of a reoccurring incident and dinner on his mind, Jim made his way to the mess hall in a good mood. Deciding to indulge in tonight's special, roast turkey legs, Jim made his way over to an empty table, at which point things started to go wrong.

In hind sight, he should have simple gone to Bones right then and there, but he was stubborn and proud. Stopping to appreciate the smell of his meal, he didn't notice when two others decided to join him.

'So Captain, were you planning on eating your dinner, or inhaling it? Sulu asked teasingly.

'Well when you've spent time being able to smell someone even when they're not in the room, the human sense of smell becomes a disappointment,' Jim answered, nose an atom's width away from his mashed potato.

'So you can't smell shit unless you stick your nose into it.'

'Hopevully not weal shit,' added Chekov.

'No, not real shit,' Jim laughed, ''but food is something that I enjoy taking a sniff of, even if it is replicated.'

'Are you not sick ov chickin Keptin?' Chekov asked looking at Jim's plate.

'Looks more like turkey to me,' Sulu butted in.

Jim just shrugged and picked up a leg and began tearing at it in a civilised way, or as civilised as one can get while ignoring cutlery. He did not begin gnawing at the bones, not at all, well maybe a little while Sulu laughed at a comment made by Chekov. Feeling slightly unsettled by the urges to behave like a puppy, Jim excused himself and headed to bed, reasoning that a good night's sleep was all he needed in order to clear his head. Jim spent more time under the shower that strictly necessary, before throwing himself onto his bed and passing out on top of the covers.

Awakening, Jim could smell some kind of spice, sort of cinnamon, but at the same time not, it smelt like... Spock. It smelt like Spock. Opening his eyes, Jim realised two things: one: he was in the captain's chair on the bridge, and two: he had shrunk, to roughly the same size as when he was a puppy.

_Crap_, he thought.

Looking down, Jim confirmed his fears when he saw paws instead of hands. Laying his head back down Jim inhaled the scent on the seat again, only this time it was different. Antiseptic with a hint of whiskey. Hmm, first Spock and now Bones, this was definitely weird, as was the lack of noise around him. Looking around himself properly for the first time, Jim saw that the bridge was empty, which was certainly not normal. Examining the view screen for a moment, he realised that it was snowing outside. It was a dream, it had to be a dream, it DID NOT snow in space. Jumping off the chair, Jim headed for the turbo lift, which turned out to be the door leading to the outside. Once off the ship, that looked remarkably like a rock, Jim set off to explore, spotting a rabbit almost immediately. Without even thinking it, Jim chased the startled animal, before catching it and shaking it hard, only for it to morph into a stick.

'Come here boy,' called a voice.

Looking up Jim saw a figure not far away, it seemed to be a mesh of Sulu and Chekov in one, features morphing from one to the other seamlessly, keeping the figure in perfect form. It was the weirdest thing Jim had ever seen, yet he couldn't resist running up to it and dropping the stick at the figure's feet. The figure picked up the stick and Jim gave chase, loosing himself in the thrill of the chase until...

With a rather soft thud Jim Kirk found himself awake and slightly disorientated on his bedroom floor, wondering just what the hell that dream was.


	6. Spock II

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Spock was attempting to meditate when he became aware of a sensation that he had been feeling for the last few days. It was nagging at the edges of his mind, even in his meditative trance, the desire for companionship, for someone to talk to, he was... lonely. Pushing the thought aside, Spock attempted to return to the issue of his relationship with Nyota, but the lonely feeling kept inching back into the forefront of his mind. Concentrating on this new feeling, Spock attempted to unravel its origins, as to why he had only just come to realise that it was there. Before he could however, he heard a noise that was both foreign and familiar to him.

Returning to himself, Spock headed towards the bathroom door, where he determined the source of the noise was coming from. Opening the door, Spock looked about, attempting to pinpoint the source, only to come up empty. He was about to return to his meditation, when he heard it again, louder, and coming from directly ahead. Realising that the noise was coming from the captain's quarters, Spock opened the other door and inched his way into the room, alert for any kind of trouble.

The last thing Spock expected to see was his captain sprawled about the covers, forearms and legs moving up and down, as if he was chasing something on all fours. Every time Kirk's face would twitch, he would make the muffled bark-whimper Spock had often heard from Puppy-Kirk when he dreamt. Feeling as though he were intruding, Spock traversed his way back through the captain's quarters in the dim light from the bathroom. Once back in his own quarters, Spock dressed and headed towards Nyota's quarters. Once there, he hesitated, perhaps she was not the best person to be talking to, Doctor McCoy would have been a more logical conclusion, but he could not deny the desire to talk to someone with whom he was more intimate with. Before he had a chance to make up his mind, the door opened and Nyota's eyes widened with shock.

'Spock,' she said quickly recovering.

'I am not interrupting am I?'

'Nothing that can't be put off 'till later come in.'

Spock entered her quarters and turned to face Nyota in full.

'I presume, you're here for a reason?'

'I wanted to ask your opinion on something important.'

'If this is about the ship, wouldn't Kirk-'

'It is of Captain Kirk that I wish to speak of.'

'Oh,' Nota replied, surprise flitting across her face, 'what about him.'

'Have you noticed him doing anything... out of character lately?'

'As in puppy related?' at his nod she frowned for a moment, 'there was this one thing, it struck me as odd at the time, but now that you mention it, it was somewhat puppy-ish. He was scratching at his leg with his other foot, but not like a human would, it wasn't so much an up and down movement, as a... round and round movement, more like a dog scratching with its hind leg.'

Spock nodded, 'I have also noticed strange behaviour in the captain tonight.'

'Such as...'

'Tonight he was making the same sounds in his sleep as he did when he was a puppy.'

'He was sleeping in your quarters?' confusion crossed her face.

'No, I could hear the noise from my quarters and went to investigate-'

'Did you knock at least?'

'If he had been in trouble, knocking would have wasted valuable seconds.'

'Did you think he was in trouble?'

'No,' Spock admitted, shoving an emotion aside for later reflection, as it rose at her words, 'I did not.'

'I think you should be telling McCoy this, Kirk may not be aware that he is doing the things that he is.'

'I had thought of it, but was considering such a move, an over-reaction.'

'Spock, even if it is nothing, I'm sure McCoy would want to know.'

'Thank you Nyota, your insight has proved to be invaluable.'

'Anytime.'

Nodding his head in farewell, Spock took his leave. Heading back to his quarters, Spock decided to simply take the captain to sickbay, rather than comm. McCoy, at least that way Kirk would be more alert to deal with McCoy's fussing.


	7. McCoy I

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Leonard "Bones" McCoy was double checking the results of the tests he had run on Jim over the course of his "Puppy-fication", for the lack of a better term, to send to Pike along with a progress report, when he heard familiar voices outside his office.

'Spock, I swear that I will increase your lab hours, or reduce them, hell, I'll even Uhura to meld with you to sort out your issues, whatever you want, just so long as you let me go.'

'Captain, you are showing signs of side effects from the transformation, Dr. McCoy will need to examine you to determine if there is any reason for concern.'

'Examine me? Of course he'll examine me, after he_ jabs _me with a thousand hypos. And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Jim off duty?'

'A thousand is a gross exaggeration.'

Deciding that he had better see what all the fuss was about, despite having a good idea as to what it was, before Jim annoyed the pointy eared hobgoblin into nerve pinching him, or worse come up with an argument that would convince Spock to let him escape unexamined.

'Spock seriously...'

Leonard could have sworn Jim's voice had just gone up an octave... or twelve.

'Am I interrupting?'

'No.'

'Yes.'

Leonard glared at the two men before him and crossed his arms, 'so since you can't seem to agree, would one of you at least explain why you're interrupting my paperwork time?'

'Shouldn't you be in bed?' Jim asked.

'Unlike you, I don't have the first shift tomorrow morning,' Leonard answered, 'and I would like to know as to why you are not in bed either.'

'I was until Spock dragged me out of it.'

'You were sitting on the floor when I arrived.'

'So I fell out of bed, and that automatically means that you have to drag me down to sickbay. I don't recall you knocking either!'

'Spock, why did you bring him here?' Leonard interrupted before the argument got out of hand.

'The captain has been showing signs of side effects, noticed by both Nyota and myself. Nyota witnessed the captain scratching at his leg with his other foot in a manner more akin to a canine than a human. Earlier this evening I saw Jim dreaming as he often did as a puppy.'

Puzzlement flickered over Jim's face, 'you saw me dreaming... YOU WERE IN MY BEDROOM WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, HOW STALKERISH DID YOU WANT TO GET?!'

'Jim calm down,' Leonard snapped, grabbing his tri-corder, 'sit, I need to take some scans, and no hypos either.'

'If I am correct in assuming that you knew why we were here, why did you ask?'

'Because I could,' replied Leonard without looking a Spock, turning to Jim he added, 'exactly what else have you been doing, that you know of.'

Jim look resigned as he answered, 'the scratching thing started when I was taking to Pike, you can ask him if you want, then I nearly stuck my face into my food and ate it that way at dinner. Sulu and Chekov were there if you need to check. Then I had a weird dream where I was a puppy again. I didn't tell you because... just... just no more tests ok?'

Jim looked at Leonard as someone had just kicked his puppy, (no pun intended), and he took pity, 'since there's no immediate sign of anything, you can go, provided that you come straight here the next time one of the side effects occurs. If they keep happening after next week, I will need to run more scans, until then, I'll just record them individually as isolated incidents.'

'So what you don't want to psycho-analyse my dream?' Jim asked with the barest him of a smirk.

'Unless your dreams involve a snowman resembling Pike, wanting to be your friend, then chasing you with a carving knife because he eats his friends, I don't want to hear about what goes on in your head at night.'

'Aw, is that your current brand of nightmare? You should lay off the booze before bed there Bones.'

Leonard brandished his tri-corder at the blonde, 'out with ya, you too,' he added to Spock who was watching their exchange silently, 'I have paperwork to return too, and just because it's done electronically, not on actual paper doesn't mean it's not important,' forestalling the comment Jim was about to make.

Ushering the pair out, McCoy headed back into his office to amend the report he was compiling to Pike. The admiral had already filled him in on the scratching incident; he had simply hoped that Jim hadn't come to him because he thought it was an isolated incident.

* * *

A/N: I decided to include a McCoy chapter because I thought it would be fun to write. Please tell me if it seems off in any way, I haven't written a Bones chapter before.


	8. Kirk III

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Jim practically stalked away from sickbay, be was too worked up to go back to bed, but he craved the solace of his quarters, after he locked the bathroom door of course. He had an inkling this was how Spock had come to enter his quarters without his knowledge.

'You are angry.'

The softly spoken words caught him off guard and Jim jerked slightly before turning to face his first officer.

'What the hell Spock,' he hissed, 'you were in my private space, uninvited, watching me sleep! Why do you think I'm angry?'

'My apologies, I had not intended to offend you, I had heard a noise coming from your quarters and I went to investigate, I did not think that it was inappropriate. The familiar sound led to my momentary lapse in judgment, it will not happen again.'

Jim felt the anger leave him, 'I'm sure it won't, it just felt like you were being invasive is all.'

'Is that why you did not want McCoy to run more tests?'

Jim froze for a second, unsure if he should tell Spock the reason or not. Checking to make sure that there was no one else in the corridor, Jim lent closer to Spock and dropped his voice.

'I don't like the tests, they make me feel vulnerable... weak... and I swore I would never feel like that again if I could help it.'

Spock nodded before replying, 'then simply reporting the side effects as they occur should stave off the need for tests for as long as possible.'

Jim let a small smile show before turning to leave with a 'night Spock,' thrown over his shoulder.

For some reason, all Jim wanted at that moment was another shower and bed.

Things did not improve the next day, with no less than eight trips to sickbay, all of which Bones shrugged off as an "over reaction" and a lecture on wasting his valuable time. It wasn't Jim's fault, he just thought that it was oddly weird that he kept having weird urges to seek out Uhura and Scotty and bask in their glorious presence. As if thinking that their presence was glorious wasn't weird enough, he was pushed for the urge to do something with Bones or Spock, and missed the company of Sulu and Chekov when he wasn't around them. He couldn't shake the feeling that these urges were linked to his dream somehow.

When he told this to Bones however, the southerner had simply laughed at him and said, 'how much social time have you had since you turned back? I'm guessing not much, too busy with work. You're probably just a bit lonely, go play chess with Spock or something, I'm a doctor, Jim, I'm busy.'

Which was exactly how he ended up blurting out "chess!" in the middle of whatever-it-was that Spock was talking about during dinner.

The half Vulcan simply blinked at him before replying, 'we can play as soon as we have finished eating.'

Jim spluttered out an answer before finishing off his meal in silence, the only upside being that the urge to ignore is cutlery was absent unlike the night before. Personally Jim thought it was the steak, it had nothing to do with the physical similarities between chicken and turkey at all.

It wasn't until halfway through their second game, that Jim noticed Spock staring at his hands. Knowing that hands were supposed to be extra sensitive to Vulcans, he decided that it would simply be better to ignore it. Five minutes later and Jim couldn't stand it any longer; the whole staring thing was beginning to get on his nerves.

'Is there something wrong with my hand?'

'You move the pieces,' Spock stated.

'Isn't that the point of playing? To move the pieces and defeat your opponent?'

'You move them like you did when you had paws.'

'Oh.'

Jim stared at his hand still on his pawn hand had to admit, he was moving the pieces as if he had no dexterous thumb. The thought alarmed him somehow.

'Jim do you realise when you do these things, or do you only take notice when someone brings it to your attention?'

Jim felt his face go red.

'Fascinating.'

Jim felt his face harden as Spock spoke, 'no more tests.'

'McCoy still needs to be notified... but perhaps it would not go astray to leave out one detail, until it proves to become a problem.'

Jim felt like the universe was trying to send him a message.

* * *

A/N: I promise that there will be another Uhura chapter soon... I'm working on a side story for her. There will also be an expansion on the Sulu/Chekov dynamic that was sort of hinted at in 'Puppy Love' (I'm still undecided on what will happen there... if anything).


	9. Spock III

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Spock couldn't help but over hear the conversation going on between the cap... Jim, and Dr. McCoy.

'Bones, you told me to tell you about side effects, then when I tell you about them, you laugh them off!'

'I swear Jim if this is about that dream again...'

'No, it's about chess. I was playing chess with Spock...'

'If you're trying to justify losing to the hobgoblin, you've got another thing coming.'

'I wasn't losing!'

Not a total lie, Spock noted, it was after all, too early in the game to tell.

'I was moving the pieces weird, like I had no dexterous thumb is all.'

'All right, comm. me if any more start up.'

Jim snapped his communicator shut and turned to face Spock, gesturing back to the chess board. Spock wordlessly resumed his seat and took his turn. He waited until Jim was busy making his mood, before asking his question, hoping that he might catch the other man off guard enough to actually answer it.

'What did Dr. McCoy mean about this being about your dream again?'

Jim paused, looking up at him, rook in hand, face slowly turning pink, a colour Spock ever rarely saw on his captains face.

'Um,' Jim said, fiddling with the piece, 'I may have over reacted today and blamed it on my dream.'

'Over reacted how?' Spock didn't dream and knew that it was simply the subconscious mind dealing with issues, but it was fascinating all the same.

'I may have gone to sickbay reporting a side effect eight times.'

Spock noticed the flushed look grew more prominent the more Spock pushed for answers, it was fascinating to say the least. Many things about Jim Kirk were fascinating to him lately.

'And what exactly where you experiencing that you noticed this "side effect" when you don't notice them until someone points it out to you?'

'The others... they were things I would do when I was a pup, this one... not so much.'

Spock stayed silent and observed Jim, noting how he focused on the rook he was still playing with in his lap, the faint redness that was returning to his face, the slight tension in his shoulders that vanished as he slumped ever so slightly in defeat.

'This was more about wanting to do stuff. Stuff with people and it there was this weird connection between what I wanted to do and how they were, or weren't , in my dream.'

Spock stayed silent, confident that Jim would elaborate on his own, he wasn't disappointed.

'In my dream, I could smell you and Bones, and I wanted to do something with you, it wasn't the company I wanted, just to do something. I was also playing fetch with Chekov and Sulu, and all day, I missed their company, I just wanted to be around them. Then there was the urge to be around Uhura and Scotty and do stuff with them, but they weren't in my dream at all, and I can't help but think that the dream had something to do with it.'

'Or perhaps you were already having these "urges" and the dream simply brought them to your attention, much like the side effects.'

'Maybe. Sorry Spock, but I'm kinda beat, think we could call it a night?' Jim looked up at Spock for the first time in a while.

'Of course, we can resume this game at a later time.'

Jim smiled at him as he left, and Spock headed back to his quarters to meditate, he was hoping that his interactions with Jim had counteracted his feeling of lonely, enough so to address the issue of his relationship with Nyota. He was left afterwards, with a distinct unsettled feeling, he was, more than ever, confused on the subject. Her reaction to his time spent with Jim troubled him, especially if the pattern would repeat itself should he chose to interact with others on a frequent, personal basis, despite him knowing that her first encounter with Jim was somewhat dicey. Nyota's sudden reverse of behaviour was also a worry, despite her explanation, he had a notion that there was more to it, something that even she may not be aware of. He simply did not believe that a loss of obligation, as she had put it, was a logical explanation, but then he had yet to encounter emotion that was logical, or could be justifiably so.


	10. Uhura III Part: A

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Nyota had finished her shift and had fully intended to head to engineering, but she had been sidetracked by an ensign wanting help translating a Vulcan transmission. It had turned out to be an obscure Romulan dialect, complaining about a possible Ferengi ship that had strayed closer to the neutral zone than a passing patrol would have liked. By the time she was able to return to her quarters, it was later then she realised, and Nyota was reluctant to traverse the chaos that seemed to cling to the engineering domain to seek out the Scotsman.

With an almost reluctant sigh, she entered her quarters and headed for the shower, pausing before she even made it to the bathroom. Sitting in the middle of her desk, where it was not before, was a bottle shaped present, complete with ribbon bows and a small tag. The paper used to wrap it was something you would use to wrap a small child's birthday present in, the year they first obsessed about joining Starfleet and exploring space, before reality hits and the dreams fade. It was black, with stars, planets and differing federation ships, spread randomly across the expanse. The tag was simple white with black writing, it would have looked more than at home on the toe of a morgue visitor. It read:

_Thought you might need some cheering up, you seemed down the other day. Hope this helps, if not you know where to find me. Feel free to seek me out anytime you need to talk_

_~ Scotty_

Smiling to herself, Nyota unwrapped the bottle, filled with a clear liquor that she suspected was vodka, a suspicion reaffirmed when she popped the lid and took a sniff. Setting the bottle back on the desk, she then noticed a glass that looked awfully like the one she had used when she spoke to Scotty last, sitting hidden towards the back of her desk. Writing had been scrawled almost illegibly across one side in capital letters: FILL WITH ALMOST-VODKA. Round the other side of the glass were three lines, each labelled with smaller letters, and somewhat neater penmanship. The bottom line read: Bad Day. The middle: Terrible day. The top line made her snort out loud: I Really Shouldn't Be Drinking Alone. Sitting the glass back down, next to the bottle of "Almost Vodka", Nyota made a note to repay Scotty the first chance she got, and headed for a much needed shower.

After making sure that she was thoroughly clean, Nyota returned to her desk, pouring herself a drink to the bottom line. Taking a sip, she realised the logic behind both the labels and the uneven spacing between the lines, the alcohol content had to be higher than legally sold in real vodka. Resisting the urge to cough up her second sip, Nyota allowed her thoughts to wander, only to have them settle on Kirk. She was woman enough to admit that although she didn't really think that he had sex with barn animals at the time, she had thought him to be a dim witted hick, even if she had found him to be a little charming in an amusing kind of way.

She had been told during her first day at the academy that first impressions were exceedingly important, not just because you only got to make them once, but because it takes, on average, only thirty seconds to form an opinion on someone, and six months to change it. Admittedly it was about six months after she had met him, that she began associating Kirk as an arrogant ass, rather than a dim witted hick. That image that he had constructed of himself at the academy still stuck with her, and she had to admit that she had been unfair in her treatment of him lately and she vowed to make amends by being nicer to him, to treat him for who he was, not who she thought she was, and hopefully they could work past their differences. She may not be his biggest fan, and they may never be friends, but it wouldn't hurt to stay in his good graces, especially if she was in need of a four later down the track.

Casting her mind to Spock, she tried to recall him the way she did when she had first met him, when he was a mysterious language to her, waiting to be translated. To her annoyance, he kept morphing into someone else, Nate. She hadn't thought of Nate in years, and with an annoyed huff, she downed the rest of her drink and headed to bed.

* * *

A/N: So I was going to post this earlier since it's in two parts, but we had an almost 12 hour blackout and I couldn't. Part two goes up tomorrow sometime. This section wasn't properly edited, so there are probably lots of errors, which I appologise for, I should probably get a proper beta, but I can't be bothered.


	11. Uhura III Part: B

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Nyota had spent the next few nights emptying the bottle, trying to focus on Spock, all the while ending up thinking of Nate. The night she ran out of liquor before it even hit the bottom mark, she decided that it was about time that she spoke to someone, hopefully before she became a functioning alcoholic. Abandoning her untouched drink, she headed for the door and ran into Spock. The conversation was brief and left her feeling... something over the thought of Spock entering Kirk's quarters in a familiar, almost casual way. Casting the thought aside for the moment, she waited several minutes until she was sure that Spock wouldn't encounter her again, before leaving her quarters. Partway down the corridor, she encountered Sulu, partly carrying, partly dragging, one passed out navigator.

Sulu looked up at her and blushed, 'damn, I thought no-one would catch me ever.'

Nyota looked between the two men, 'need some help?'

'Nah, I've got it, once Pavel's out, he sleeps like a rock, damn annoying when he falls asleep in my quarters, makes me drag his sorry ass into his own bed.'

'What were you doing in your quarters at this time?'

'Playing Monopoly.'

Nyota watched Sulu drag Chekov into a nearby room, catching the way Sulu brushed his hand across his friend's forehead, leaving the communications officer wondering just what the hell was going on between the pair.

Once down in engineering, Nyota didn't even have to look for Scotty before he called out to her, 'I wasna expectin' ta see ya down 'ere in hell so soon lass.'

Waiting until they were both in his office before she asked her question, 'Hell?'

'No matter wat ya set the controls to, itsa always warm down 'ere, besides, when it goes wrong, itsa here it gets fixed, or needs ta be fixed.'

'I guess the stories really are true then, it really is a whole different world down here,' she teased.

The Scotsman cocked his head at her, 'no more so than anay other department, we're justa bit more removed so itsa more noticeable.'

Thinking about it, Nyota realised that he was right, every department, bridge, sickbay, engineering, science labs etc, all had their unique mannerisms.

'So wha' brings ya down 'ere.'

'Every time I try to imagine Spock, I see Nate.'

'Nate is...'

'My first boyfriend. We broke up, after I went a little crazy at him for being friends with this girl he had known since he was two.'

Scotty looked a little shocked.

'We started high school the same year, I didn't really know him, he didn't know me, we went out a couple of times, then she came along and every time I saw him, I would scream, yell, be a bitch to him. But then he stopped hanging out with her and everything went back to the way it was before, then I found out that they were still friends and I lost it I said to him "clearly you aren't the person I thought you were" he said "then clearly you don't know me" and that was it.'

The Scotsman blinked at her before bursting into laughter, 'ay lass, canna ya see? Spock and Nate are tha same.'

Nyota was dumbfounded for a moment, before realising that he was right, she had been doing the same thing to Spock as she had done to Nate all those years ago.

'Wait... does that mean I see Kirk as a potential romantic threat?'

'I mean, ya fell in love with tha idea of a man, not tha man himself. Wen someone came anda challenged tha view ya tried to force them back ta yer view of them.'

Nyota groaned and covered her face with her hands, 'what the hell am I supposed to do now?'

'Work out who he really is, not who ya think he is, anda see if ya still love 'im.'

'Thanks Scotty, you're a good friend.'

'I take it tha bottle I gave ya didn't help?'

'It made me think of Nate, and let me know that I do have someone to talk to, someone I don't have to poach away from Kirk,' smiling she leant back in her chair, 'so tell me about more about the goings on in hell, and her demonic over lords.'

'That bow before tha puppy king.'

Nyota laughed like she hadn't in a long time.


	12. Kirk IV

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Jim buried his head back into the captain's chair, inhaling Bones' scent, before lifting his head to gaze at the snow falling. Sighing, he put his head back down and contacted a new scent, he couldn't be sure, but he thought he detected a metallic oil smell, which was unique to Scotty. Maybe the others in engineering smelled the same, but he hadn't hung around them as a puppy for long enough to know. Resigning himself to repeating his fate of the previous night, Jim jumped out of the chair, wondering why he hadn't woken up when he knew that he was dreaming, he usually did. Stepping out into the snow, he ignored the urge to chase, chew, shake, and otherwise play with the rabbit before him. Following, Jim matched the rabbit's hopping pace to where the Sulu/Chekov figure would appear. Jim glanced upwards at the sharp whistle that cut through the air.

_Huh, that's new_, he thought to himself.

Coming up on the figure, he noticed other attributes that melted in and out of its face, added to the mix was one Nyota Uhura. When the stick was thrown, Jim chased it, before shaking it violently, hearing the tough fabric tear under his strong jaws... wait what?

Blinking his eyes open, Jim realised that he had just attacked his pillow, which was still clamped firmly between his jaws, the urge to destroy, rip, tear, chew, it some more overwhelming. Panting, Jim forced himself to drop the damp, torn remains of his pillow back onto his bed, wanting to bury his head under it and scream. Instead he got out of bed and prepared himself for his shift, ignoring the fact that he wasn't due on the bridge for another three and a half hours. Deciding that his time was best spent going over paperwork, Jim pulled his PADD out to work.

In the end, Jim nearly ran late for his shift, failing to notice Chekov in the corridor until he collided with the poor Russian. They fell to a heap in a tangle of limbs, swearing, and, under any other circumstances, mildly inappropriate touching. The first thing Jim noticed was that Chekov didn't smell like Chekov, well he did, there was just another's scent all over him as well, and if he wasn't mistaken, it was Sulu's.

'So exactly what is your relationship with my helmsman?' Kirk blurted out without thinking.

'K-kaptain,' the youngster spluttered.

'Oh right, sorry,' Jim muttered getting off the navigator.

Blushing something fierce, Chekov clambered to his feet as well, 'Hikaru, and I are just fwends.'

'So why can I smell him all over you then?' _great Jim, just great, learn to shut up while your behind already._

'Ve vere playing Monopoly, and I vas vinning until Hikaru started cheating, I fell asleep there, so he took me back to mine, I svear!' Chekov was looking quite stricken at this point.

'Oh ok, I was just wondering.' _Yeah like this isn't awkward at all._

'Keptain, vy can you smell me?'

'Side effect,' Jim dodged, 'Bones reckons that they should vanish by the end of the week.'

The two of them stared at one another for a few more moments before they realised that they were both due on the bridge.

As soon as his shift was over, Jim headed straight to the science labs where he knew Spock would be. Not even bothering to knock, Jim just barged right into Spock's office, where the man in question was reading something.

'Hey Spock, anything interesting.'

'Captain,' Spock replied, ignoring the question, 'what brings you here?'

'A favour actually, you know how were due at starbase four tomorrow, right?' Jim waited until Spock nodded before continuing, 'well I know it took as twice as long to get here due to our engines, and I'm supposed to get an update report from whomever it is that's in charge, I forget his name, but I was hoping that you could do it.'

Spock stared at him unblinking.

'I thought that it might not be the best idea for me to go, I might start urinating on something to mark my territory, and I'm sure Pike would love to read a report on how I managed to explain that.'

'I fail to see what you would mark as yours, as we would be beaming down to the surface.'

'Yeah, I'm more worried about it being a "who" more than a "what"' Jim muttered more to himself than his first officer.


	13. Spock IV

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

'Jim, have you spoken to Dr. McCoy about this? He wanted to know when you were experiencing side effects.'

'No, but I haven't experienced it, I'm just worried that I will.'

'Then may I enquire as to why you picked this example?'

Spock watched as the other man coloured slightly, shifting uneasily on his feet.

'Um, it's just something Pike said to me, and I was just worrying that if I smelled someone I didn't know, on someone I did, then I would react badly.'

'What brought this to your attention?' Spock was curious at Jim's sudden odd behaviour.

'I may have... unintentionally accused Chekov of sleeping with Sulu after I smelt Sulu on him, and I think I really freaked the kid out.'

'Did you inform...'

'My face was practically buried in his shirt, I seriously doubt my sense of smell is greater than normal.'

Spock felt his left eyebrow rise.

'I was at risk of being late and didn't notice that I was on a collision course with him until we were on the floor.'

'I see.'

'So will you go to the starbase for me?'

'I think captain that perhaps it would be best if you were to go, your absence may be taken as a slight, given our lateness. But if you are worried, then I shall accompany you at all times, to ensure that you are properly housebroken.'

Jim was gaping at him, as though Spock had just sprouted another head.

'Spock, did you just make a joke?!'

'Irrelevant to this conversation,' Spock replied smoothly.

In all truth, McCoy had made the passing comment that if Jim was able to joke about the situation, he might stress less over it. His choice of words therefore, were only logical.

'So... chess?' Jim asked.

Spock tilted his head to the side, 'if you wish.'

Reaching Jim's quarters, Jim stilled, and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "damn it" before opening the door. As soon as he was through the door, Jim hurried over to his bed and attempted to remove his pillow, but Spock had already seen the damage.

'Jim,' he said quietly, putting his hand on the captain's shoulder, 'what happened?'

'My pillow was misbehaving, so I punished it accordingly?'

Spock felt his control threatening to slip.

'So I didn't play with the rabbit in my dream, so I destroyed my pillow in my sleep, and Bones is going to kill me with Hypos when he finds out!'

'Jim...'

'Just because I crashed the god-damn car off a cliff, and he couldn't find anything wrong with me mentally, Frank thought that it meant that he could subject me to every medical test in know existence. Like he wanted something to be wrong with me, so that way he didn't have to admit that he was an asshole, talking about me as if I was some contagious, disease ridden mongrel!'

Jim's eyes were wide with panic.

'Jim calm down.'

Jim began to whine and back away from Spock, the whine increasing in volume.

'Jim.'

Jim backed up several steps as Spock took one towards him. Moving swiftly, Spock grabbed Jim by his upper arms, restricting his movements. Jim stared back wide eyed, and whining, before lunging forward and burying his face into Spock's chest. Caught off guard, Spock simply wrapped his arms around his friend and ignored how puppy-like Jim's whining was.

'If McCoy believes that a test is in order, that will be it, one test, afterwards we can work out how to deal with this on its own, until it become life-threatening, I promise. You're not a disease ridden mongrel.'

Spock felt Jim relax, slightly, and Spock tried to clamp down on his worry, this wasn't typical behaviour for Jim, indicating how much the man had been keeping inside. They stayed like that for awhile, until Spock's communicator chirped. Jim pulled away and sat on the bed, watching Spock as he answered it.

'Spock here.'

'Hey Spock.'

'Nyota.'

'I was wondering when you would be free to talk, about us, if you want I mean.'

Spock glanced at Jim, who mouthed "dinner" at him. "You sure?" Spock mouthed back. Jim nodded and Spock returned his attention to his communicator.

'How about dinner, my quarters, the usual time?'

'Uh, sure, dinner... dinner sounds nice.'

Snapping his communicator shut, Spock turned his attention back to Jim, who was refusing to look at him.

'I guess you're going to make me go to sickbay?'

'Yes Jim, McCoy needs to know.'

* * *

A/N: This might be the last time I update for a while, since my laptop is playing up and needs to be fixed. I will update if I can, but if I don't it's because I have no computer access for the time being.


	14. Uhura IV

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers

* * *

Nyota spent her shift carefully listening in on the conversations passing through her station. She had spent most of her time with Scotty the previous night, discussing the differences between each department, and the crossovers that sometimes occurred. She had been surprised to learn that Chekov had been spent large amounts of time in engineering, under Scotty's eye, learning the ins and outs of how the ship functioned. She also learned that there was a friendly rivalry between the science, medical, and engineering departments. It appeared as if each department was in itself a whole, integrated together via the bridge, and command crew. The realisation excited her and she was brimming with an excited energy, waiting for her shift to end so that she could tell Scotty about her discovery.

Nyota's thoughts screeched to a halt, as they landed on the Scotsman. When the hell did she become more excited to spend time with Scotty than with Spock?

_Since you discovered that he can give you something Spock can't_, whispered a little voice at the back of her head nastily, sounding suspiciously like Nero.

'Shut up,' she hissed at it, casting a quick glance around to see if anyone had heard her.

Fortunately Spock was rostered on for a shift in the labs today, rather than the bridge. Casting her mind half back on her work, half on what Scotty had told her last night, she attempted to puzzle out the answer. It occurred to her, that while Spock understood the human need for emotions, she had always acted like a rational person, and that her irrational emotions might have caused some of, what she perceived to be, bland reactions.

Furthermore, she had scorned, and stubbornly refused to acknowledge, that Kirk was perfectly able communicate, and not because of her less-than-stellar opinion of Kirk. Rather, it had been the knowledge that the two of them knew each other well enough to communicate without words, to create their own language. True enough, the other crew members who spent copious amounts of time with him, also learned, but Spock seemed to get it quicker, and it hurt that she never had that with him.

As soon as her shift was up, she left, heading towards the nearest rec room. She sat there on her own for a while, lost in her thoughts, before she realised that although she was still thinking about Spock, like she often used to, her heart wasn't in it anymore.

I don't love him, she thought sadly.

_But isn't there another for the both of you?_ a voice questioned.

Nyota thought about it for a minute, realising that it was right, there was someone for her, someone who left her gifts when she was down, and offered an ear when it was needed. With as start, she realised that Kirk was to Spock, that Scotty was to her, and although it might not evolve into something romantic, there was still the possibility. Grabbing her comm. out, she called Spock and arranged to meet him for dinner, glaring at a smirking ensign as he passed.

She spent the rest of her time wondering restlessly in her quarters, until it was time to meet Spock. Trying not to run down the corridors, she arrived five minutes early, and chimed to let Spock know that she had arrived. Spock let her in wordlessly, where dinner was already laid out and waiting. They ate in silence, until Spock asked, 'I was under the impression that you wanted to talk.'

'We're breaking up,' she blurted out, 'I mean, your my friend, and always will be but I don't... don't see you in that way anymore... I just...'

Spock silenced her by holding up his hand in a stop gesture.

'You no longer harbour romantic feelings towards me, it would appear that this has come to its logical conclusion.'

'Where's Kirk?' she asked suddenly.

'Sickbay.'

'Is he ok, he's not you know, regressing is he?'

'Dr. McCoy is simply holding for observation.'

'Well we should go see him then.'

'Nyota what is going on?'

'You're taking this better than I thought, now I feel awkward and have so much pent up nervous energy, and it's all just coming out and I need to stop talking as in right now.'

Nyota wondered if Spock thought she had lost it.

'If it would help ease the awkwardness you are feeling then, we can go see the captain if McCoy will allow it.'

_And give me a hypo while he's at it_, Nyota added silently.


	15. Kirk V

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers.

This chapter is for froupin, who requested that Kirk mark Spock as his territory, and Beawolf's Pen, who asked if Kirk could growl a someone in a jealous manner over Spock.

* * *

Jim had been feeling stressed since he left his quarters, his anxiety peaking as they entered sickbay. Catching sight of the two commanding officers, Bones waved them immediately into his office, gesturing at them both to take a seat. Jim let Spock do all the talking, the situation didn't sound so bad when spoken in Spock's calming monotone, that wasn't a monotone. One thing Jim had picked up as a puppy, was that there were subtle pitch changes in the half Vulcan's voice, inaudible to the human ear, betraying his emotions. Bones gave Jim a hard look, which meant that he would be spending the night, and it was non-negotiable.

'Bones...' he tried.

'No, you should have told me that you weren't always consciously doing these things, damn it Jim, you're staying the night, and your wearing a monitoring patch, so I can analyse your system for when and if these side effects occur during the night.'

Jim could see a silver lining in all of this, 'guess that means that I won't be going down to the starbase tomorrow.'

'Of course you are Jimmy, Starfleet sent an Admiral to receive the update from the base, and he wants to be updated in your... condition while he's there.'

'Can't you do it Bones?'

'You're going to have to bite the proverbial bullet eventually, now stop worrying about it, or you'll make yourself sick.'

'If you excuse me gentlemen, I need to meditate and prepare for Nyota's arrival,' Spock interjected smoothly, making his exit.

And like that, Jim's silver lining was gone.

Jim's anxiety jumped impossibly higher, Bones' reassurances, and his removal to a private room, did nothing to help.

'Jim, about that thing with Frank that makes you...' Bones didn't seem to know how to finish his sentence, 'I'm going to give you something to help you relax, ok?'

Jim nodded and barely felt the sting of the hypo in his neck before he curled up on the bed and drifted off.

The next thing he heard was the door opening and a familiar voice floating through.

'We shouldn't wake him Spock, this might not be such a good idea after all.'

Jim opened his eyes and observed the two people before him, Spock was Spock, and Uhura seemed excited. Jim realised that they must have gotten back together again.

'I trust we did not wake you,' Spock asked walking in fully.

Jim shook his head and inhaled deeply, realising that the two of them smelled like each other, and something rumbled in his chest.

'You still coming to the starbase tomorrow?' Uhura asked, practically bouncing on her feet.

'Yeah.'

Uhura bounded over to Spock and wrapped her arms around him in celebration, causing a growl to escape from Jim.

'Did you just growl at me?' Uhura asked, Jim trying his best to control the possessive feeling he was feeling over Spock.

'Perhaps,' Spock commented, moving to Jim's bedside as Jim sat up, 'you should fetch McCoy.'

As Uhura left, and Spock's attention was on the door, Jim began to run his tongue over the rough sleeve of Spock's shirt, when the Vulcan didn't react, Jim kept at it.

'So what exactly...' asked Bones, walking through the door, just as Jim's tongue made contact with the smooth Vulcan flesh of Spock's hand.

Spock pulled away like had had been electrocuted, 'did you just lick me?'

'No,' Jim responded automatically, defence on the rise.

'You growled at me just before though,' Uhura chimed in.

'It's not fair!' Jim burst out, 'Chekov smells like Sulu, Spock smells like Uhura, Uhura smells like Spock, and I'm the captain, you're my crew, you should smell like me. He smells like me now.'

The last part hinted on the edge of possessive desperation.

Three shocked faces looked back at him.

'Jim,' Bones said slowly, 'were you... marking your territory?'

Jim lay back down and faced the wall, his back to them.

'Go away,' he muttered, loud enough for them to hear.

'Jim...' Uhura tried.

'I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE.'

'Just so you know, Spock and I... we're over, it's over.'

Jim ignored them and waited until he heard the door slide shut before he rolled onto his stomach and screamed his frustration into his pillow. Of all the stupid things he could have done, he went and did the exact thing he was worried about doing down on the starbase.

* * *

A/N: There is a reappearance of Pike next chapter...


	16. Spock V

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers.

* * *

Spock tried to tell himself that the captain would report to the transport room as scheduled, and beam down to Starbase Four alongside himself, Nyota and two others. He could not dispel however, the nagging feeling that the events of last night would cause Jim to attempt to avoid the meeting with the Admiral. Before could comm. McCoy, and request that he escort Jim to the transporter room, Nyota arrived and bit her lip, as if she wanted to ask something.

'Nyota, what is it?' Spock asked.

'Nyota cast a quick glance around the nearly empty room, eyes lingering on Scotty, the only other person in the room, fiddling with the controls, before turning back to him.

'Now that I'm clear headed, rational, and no longer on the verge of a nervous energy explosion, I wanted to ask you something.'

Spock waited while she collected her thoughts.

'You took my decision quiet well last night, and I was wondering why.'

Spock had been expecting this, ever since they had left sickbay, but the question hadn't come.

'Nyota, when we first met, I found in you some of the qualities I most cherished in my mother, who I loved very much. You cared about me in the same way, and I, in time, came to care you also, however-'

'It was a platonic love, not a romantic love,' Nyota finished.

Spock nodded and she seemed to relax, but whatever she was about to say next was lost by the arrival of two familiar voices.

'I will put you on a leash if I have to Jim.'

'You going to teach me to roll over and play dead, or to beg for treats while you're at it? Newsflash: I'm not a puppy anymore.'

'Given that you rolled over and played dead this morning, in an attempt to get out of today, I don't need to teach you anything. Not to mention that you've spent the last hour begging me not to make you go, but you really need to change your definition of "treat". Stop looking at me like a dejected puppy, and march you buttocks into that room. And don't pout at me either.'

Spock crossed to the door and opened it, revealing McCoy and Jim standing there, glaring at one another.

'Don't worry captain,' Nyota teased, joining Spock at the door, 'if you misbehave we'll give you a timeout in the doghouse.'

Jim glared at the three of them before shouldering his way into the transporter room, and continued to alternate between ignoring them and shooting them ill-favoured looks, until it was time for them to beam down. Spock took his place on the transporter pad and felt his very atoms begin to pull apart, then contract, as he rematerialised on the starbase transporter pad.

'So where's this Admiral, I'm supposed to meet, and why wasn't I told until yesterday?' Jim grumbled.

'Well, it was supposed to be a surprise,' came a voice that Spock had not heard in weeks.

The five of them turned to see Admiral Christopher Pike watching them in amusement. Spock saw the way Jim's face lit up as he broke into a grin as he ran up to the older man and threw his arms around him.

'Steady on there kiddo, just because I'm out of the chair doesn't mean I'm one hundred percent,' Pike said with a laugh.

Jim just grinned in response.

'Admiral, I believe I am to brief you?'

Pike caught Spock's eye, 'and Spock, if you don't mind.'

The two of them followed Pike into the main building, leaving the others to their own devices. Once in what appeared to an impromptu office, Pike's expression turned serious.

'McCoy's been keeping me updated as to what's been going on, including last night,' Pike frowned minutely at Jim, who had the decency to look abashed, 'and I have only one question: have you tried to embrace the side-effects, rather than suppress them?'

'Perhaps it would be better, if I were to return later,' Spock suggested quickly, knowing Jim wasn't likely to talk as freely with him there.

Pike nodded, 'I'll call when you're needed, I think this should stay between Jim and I for the moment.'


	17. Pike I

Not Mine, Never Mine, Usual Disclaimers.

* * *

Chris waited until Spock had shut the door behind him, before looking back at Jim from across the desk, observing the way Jim leaned forward slightly, leaning his hips on the edge of the other side of the desk.

'Did McCoy tell you that the effects might be permanent?' Chris asked softly.

Jim looked startled, and somewhat alarmed, 'no, he didn't tell me. I won't lose the _Enterprise_ will I?'

Chris felt a sudden rush of sympathy for the kid, 'no, you won't, not if I have anything to say about it, but it would be best if the higher-ups were uninformed about this. I've been looking through the reports McCoy's been sending me, and I've noticed that he said that you mentioned suppressing these, urges, only for you to do them subconsciously.'

'So?'

'So, what if because your conscious mind won't give into them, then your subconscious does? All I'm saying is, that maybe if you actively partake in some of your urges in private, then they may not manifest publicly at inconvenient times.'

'What if it doesn't work, what if it just makes it worse, what if someone-' Jim broke off with a defeated look.

'Look, if it doesn't work, then we can put our heads together and come up with something else, I'm sure Spock would know of a Vulcan mind trick that might be able to help.'

Chris watched Jim think, noting the way he had begun rocking up against the desk.

'So until then, you want me to lie to your bosses?'

'not so much as lie, as... leave some details out.'

Jim actually smiled at that, his hips speeding up, a fact not lost on Chris.

'Just as so long, as I don't do something embarrassing, like-'

'Humping your superior's desk?'

Chris watched as Jim's hips shuddered to a stop, saw the shock and embarrassment that crossed the young man's face, before he hung his head in shame, the way Jim's knuckles went white as his grip tightened. Chris walked around the desk and wrapped his arms around Jim, pulling him close, noting how Jim shook minutely.

'Hey, I'm not mad, a little amused if I'm being honest, but this is why I want you to at least try, what's the worst that can happen?'

'I just dry-humped your desk and you're asking me that?'

'Guess you'll just have to find someone who enjoys doing it doggie style.'

Chris felt Jim laugh into his shirt, nuzzling in closer.

'McCoy's been too busy for you to have an emotional outpouring to.'

'That obvious?'

'That obvious. You ready for Spock to come back in and join us, or do you need another moment?'

'Nah,' Jim said breaking out of the embrace, 'I think I'm good. By the way I might be a little insulted that you automatically assumed that I only go to Bones for the touchy-feely crap.'

'So the great James Tiberius Kirk has learned to open up to other people then?' Chris joked, moving back around the desk, not expecting a reply.

'I told Spock about... about Frank,' Jim replied, looking down to avoid looking a Chris, as he sat down in a nearby chair.

Chris thought that his body had frozen, for Jim to trust someone enough to open up and expose his vulnerabilities was a rare thing indeed.

'How much did you tell him?' even to his own ears, Chris sounded breathless.

'I told him that I crashed a car off a cliff, so Frank had me tested,' Jim curled his legs into his chest, wrapping his arms around them, 'I just... I had a mild panic attack, and he was there and...'

'Did you tell McCoy about this?' Chris prodded, his body responding to his thoughts once more, and taking his seat.

'Spock told him, when he dragged me to sickbay, but Bones hasn't said anything to me about it. He doesn't seem to tell me anything at the moment.'

'Jim he probably hasn't been telling you everything because he's trying to assess your mental state so that he knows in what way to tell you, so that you don't have a panic attack. This is the first one you've had since McCoy started treating you, back when you both started at the academy, he probably doesn't want to make it worse.'

'Just call Spock in so we can get this over with,' Jim said, leaning back and relaxing.

Chris took it as a positive sign and pulled out his communicator, 'Spock.'

'Admiral.'

'Can you return so that we can discuss what will happen next, also I'm conferencing to McCoy when you get here.'

'Understood, I'm on my way.'

Chris took in Jim's slightly amused expression, 'I thought I'd save you repeating the conversation.'

'Sure thing Pike and it has nothing to do with the fact Bones can't hypo me while I'm down here.'


End file.
